Daily news coverage of politics, policy, and issues shaping the nation.
At an altitude of 30,000 feet, there’s little room for error when confronting a hysterical passenger, hijacker or other threat. That’s why the Federal Air Marshal Service is a critical last line of defense, transportation security officials say. One leading congressional critic, however, argues that the Federal Air Marshal Service is an outdated and inefficient…
A new faith-based consumer organization is looking to have an impact on the profit margins of major companies this holiday season—and beyond—by influencing where people spend their money. In order to do so, the group, called Faith Driven Consumer, launched a Faith Equality Index, where they score companies on a 100-point “faith-compatibility” scale. Few companies…
The nation’s only Catholic ministry to share health care costs expects to get a membership boost out of the latest Obamacare open enrollment period, which runs through January. CMF CURO, a subsidiary of the nonprofit Christ Medicus Foundation, currently has roughly 1,250 members in 46 states and Washington, D.C. “It’s so important to have this…
As voters across the United States move to elect their next state leaders Tuesday, Ohio residents are weighing whether the Buckeye State will become the latest to legalize marijuana. If voters approve the measure, Ohio will become the fifth state to legalize recreational weed and the first in the Midwest. But Issue 3, which would add…
The chairmen of two Senate committees are questioning the Obama administration on the struggles of nonprofit insurance companies created under Obamacare that have received $2.5 billion in taxpayer-backed loans. In a letter to acting Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Andy Slavitt, Republican Sens. Orrin Hatch of Utah and Lamar Alexander of…
Democrats have tried to make the “Koch Brothers” public enemy no. 1 for their support of conservative candidates and causes. Last year, then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., even labeled them “un-American.” But in an interview with “Morning Joe” co-hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, Charles Koch says he’s not intimidated. “It’s frightening for the…
As part of continued efforts by Gov. Scott Walker and legislators, welfare fraud and abuse legislation will be put to a vote on Tuesday in Wisconsin. A series of four bills, three of which target abuse of Wisconsin’s food stamp program, are expected to pass. The legislation (Wisconsin Assembly Bills 222, 200, and 188) would require…
Rob Brockhaus, a D.C. transplant from St. Louis, wants to bring conservatives under one roof, where Wi-Fi, printing, and ideas are collectively shared and like-minded individuals can connect. Come March 1, freelancers, small non-profits, and liberty-oriented businesses will have the opportunity to do just that in Brockhaus’ newly launched Red Sycamore Group, the conservative movement’s…
According to an investigation by Atlanta’s WSB-TV, Georgia ranks first in deportations of illegal immigrants among all non-border states. And it trails only Texas, Arizona, and California as fourth overall, based on a review of government deportation records. In fiscal year 2013, there were 7,120 illegal immigrants deported in Georgia alone, according to WSB-TV reporter Aaron Diamant’s investigation. Of…
Sen. Mike Lee’s Facebook post thanking Sen. Rand Paul for a floor speech fighting against the two-year budget deal is blazing across social media, reaching more than 55 million people in three days. The nearly 3-minute video of Paul, meanwhile, has 19 million views. Lee, R-Utah, slammed lawmakers for pushing through the budget deal at 3 a.m. Friday,…
President Barack Obama announced a string of proposals Monday to help former inmates reintegrate into their communities in the latest extension of the White House’s push for criminal justice reform. Following a visit to a drug rehabilitation center in Newark, New Jersey, Obama unveiled small steps aimed toward easing the transition from prison to society,…
Looking to protest a budget agreement that increases spending by $80 billion over two years, conservatives may be inclined to advance appropriations bills that include controversial riders, such as a provision to defund Planned Parenthood. “Absolutely conservatives should push hard and not back down,” said Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., in an interview with The Daily…
On Tuesday, the people of Houston will head to the polls to vote on a controversial measure that would create legal protections related to sexual orientation and gender identity, among other categories. The so-dubbed “bathroom bill” has gained national attention, pitting Houston at the center of the latest battle between LGBT and religious liberty advocates….
The two representatives jockeying for Speaker Paul Ryan’s old job as chairman of the powerful tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee are similar in many ways, but they have at least one distinguishing characteristic. The contenders, Reps. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, and Pat Tiberi, R-Ohio, voted differently on a controversial discharge petition paving the way for…
Newly elected House Speaker Paul Ryan vowed to move forward with an investigation of Planned Parenthood but also cast doubt on Congress’ ability to end taxpayer funding for the nation’s largest abortion provider. In an interview with Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Ryan said he wants to ensure that Republicans are an “effective opposition party,”…
In a report on Sunday’s edition of “Full Measure,” Sharyl Attkisson and Scott Thuman examine the growing number of Obamacare co-op failures. With 11 of the 23 co-ops now collapsing, the story examines the real-life consequences for those who counted on them for health insurance. >>> “Full Measure” Airs Sundays on 162 Sinclair Stations. Find…
Former United States Sen. Fred Thompson passed away on Sunday, according to a report from The Tennessean. Thompson, 73, who served in the Senate from 1994-2003 as a Republican from Tennessee, is also known for his role as an attorney in the Watergate investigation (which led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon), his time…
Two days before the start of Obamacare’s open enrollment period, a nonprofit health insurance provider located in Arizona announced that it would be closing its doors, leaving more than 56,000 consumers to purchase new insurance plans. On Friday, the Arizona Department of Insurance announced that Meritus Health Partners is winding down its operations and will…
This year, fashion brand Ultra Violet Kids decided to do something a little differently with their Halloween advertising by including a child with a visual disability in their promotional photos for the very first time. Four-year-old Zoe Lush, a little girl who is confined to a wheelchair, was one of five child models featured in…
Congressional Republicans continue to press the Department of Homeland Security for answers on how that agency handles the deportation of illegal immigrants suspected of violent crime. On Friday, the chairmen of both the Senate and House Judiciary Committees sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson concerning a twice-deported man who allegedly kidnapped, trafficked,…